Advice/Questions on buying Cameras & Accessories. **Please read OP first**

Gal44

Which is the better camera?

Gal44

Gal44 wrote: »

Which is the better camera?

some people are so lazy. GOOGLE. s8100 is newer. although both old hat at this stage.

jen_23

Hey guys,

I had a Pentax K10D which has recently packed up. It died on me a few months ago (something to do with the battery compartment...) anyway - had been thinking of changing models for a while possibly canon.

Has anyone any model recommendations? I like to take a lot of action shots and portraits. Any help in this decision is much appreciated!!

keps

Just wondering does anyone know how to give a starburst effect on CS4- is it possible?

Here is a section of a much larger photo - and my aim would be to just give a 'starburst' effect to the light bulb top left.

any ideas ?

af_thefragile

Try this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ9l9zDXTgE
or this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGPpb1yaOM8
And then play around with the layers and transparency to see if you can get it...

Simpler would be to take the pic at like f18 or smaller f-stop and you'll get that lens flare effect if you can do it on your camera...

Chief

I'm a Canon 550D owner now. I love it. But my next professional step will be the Nikon D7000. I have read an awful lot and it really seems to be thee cropped sensor master AND it's weather sealed! No more supervalu bags and rubber bands! I invested alot in Canon lenses etc and for the 60fps video I'm keeping my 550D, but the next big buy is the D7000. Nikon is just SHARPER now.... It may change and probs will but it just is... in fact I'm using a 50mm nikon f1.8 with an adapter on my 550D because it's sharper imho than the nifty 50mm f1.8 from canon... frig autofocus, manual is doing the job...

my 2 cents

Surfing_Xboxer

I have a D7000 - you will not be unhappy with it

steve_

steve_ wrote: »

Ok so the title says it all. Im selling a laptop i used for college to purchase myself a nice camera. Since finishing college the laptop is only being used as a facebook portal for my mother so i think its time i get rid of it and put the money to good use. It should sell for about 400-500 euro so that will be my budget.

Im brand new to photography but have always respected it as an art form and would love to be able to capture great moments for myself. There are a few reasons i want to buy a decent camera and not just a bog standard digital one. Firstly i have recently had my first child and i want to be able to capture her no quality issues. Also i enjoy doing 3d modelling and would like to be able to take high res texture images myself while im out and about. Thirdly is just to capture day to day life in great detail. HD video recording would be great too but im not sure if that would be within the scope of my budget.

Being a beginner i would like something that is more user friendly but also flexible with the settings as i become more understanding of photography. Ill be using advert.ie to buy a second hand camera so i would be a huge help if anyone was kind enough to have a quick browse through there and suggest one or two suitable cameras.

Cheers guys

My budget will be about 600-700 euro now as ill be holding off till christmas to get a camera. Also would you guys suggest buying brand new or second hand? Iv not really fussy but im just sure if buying new would be the better option

Pulse8

Ok, gonna take the plunge & get my first DSLR for my birthday next month....looking at getting a Canon 550D

Now, the cheapest Ive seen it advertised in Ireland is 750 but have seen the US & Asian (Rebel/Kiss) versions on eBay for upto 200 quid cheaper.
I know the warranty wont cover it here in Ireland but do DSLR's really screw up all that often & are there any other advantages to not buying the european model?

Really trying to save as much cash as I can before a trip to Asia in October on which I plan to take the camera

Thx!

dirtyghettokid

if you are looking for good value, why not buy a second hand camera here in ireland?

Pulse8

Had considered that but to be honest buying 2nd hand just isnt my thing, especially when it comes to something like a camera where the amount of use its had can dramatically affect its performance

For lenses & things like that I'd probably go 2nd hand alright but want a fresh camera

Zillah

There is a very good chance it will be stopped by customs and they won't let you have it until you pay VAT. I tend to avoid non-EU ebay altogether.

Paparazzo

Definitely factor in the extra VAT, you'll have a 95% chance of getting billed for it in my experience. I always buy in the EU now. You can still get cheaper outside the EU, I just prefer to see the full price when shopping.
There's an option on ebay that lets you see EU only.
Like this:
http://cgi.ebay.ie/CANON-EOS-REBEL-T2i-550D-DSLR-CAMERA-18-55mm-KIT-/380294202158?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item588b4d032e

kfish2oo2

I bought a lens from www.digitalrev.com and had no issues - they charge VAT and Customs & Excise duty upfront so there's no nasty surprises when it arrives. You will have to send on a copy of your receipt to Customs but they won't charge.

CabanSail

Pulse8 wrote: »

Really trying to save as much cash as I can before a trip to Asia in October on which I plan to take the camera

Thx!

Why not put off the purchase until October? Hong Kong and Singapore are both really good for buying gear. Importing it here and paying the VAT and fees to just take it back there in a few weeks seems a bit odd.

Do your research now to educate yourself on the ways to get the best value when there, which is not always the cheapest. There are guides online that assist in how buy in those markets and the traps to avoid. Make sure you are conversant with the price of things here but in the local currency so you can quickly spot a bargain.

I was in Hong Kong last year. It was like being a child in toy store. You do have to know how to haggle and also when to stop.

sarkozy

After my 400D was stolen on holidays, I need to replace my dSLR. I'm thinking of using the insurance money (assuming I get it) to trade up. There's some possibility of earning a little money from taking photos, so it'd be good to do this.

I can't decided which camera to go for. I'm set on Canon, and now that they shoot video, it makes sense to do this. If I'm not getting the current 400D equivalent like a 600D, then I'm looking at the 60D or 7D, or even a 5D (if there's a chance to purchase stateside).

Obviously, the BIG difference with the 5D is the sensor size. So, then: is the 7D worth the extra cash above the 60D?

My other concern is lenses - L-Lenses are for full-frame, but the EF-S lenses can be very good, but then you're limited to those. Also, I'd be using a 400D as a back-up.

Prior to the theft, I was shooting with a Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 for cropped frame. It was good glass.

Info, ideas, advice much appreciated.

Kintarō Hattori

jen_23 wrote: »

Hey guys,

I had a Pentax K10D which has recently packed up. It died on me a few months ago (something to do with the battery compartment...) anyway - had been thinking of changing models for a while possibly canon.

Has anyone any model recommendations? I like to take a lot of action shots and portraits. Any help in this decision is much appreciated!!

Jen what exactly is the problem?

Pulse8

kfish2oo2 wrote: »

I bought a lens from www.digitalrev.com and had no issues - they charge VAT and Customs & Excise duty upfront so there's no nasty surprises when it arrives. You will have to send on a copy of your receipt to Customs but they won't charge.

Just checking out the site, looks like a good option....it says under the total incl. shipping "An import handling charge has already been included in the above price. There is no further import tax/duty to pay.!

How reliable is this? And how did you go about sending yours to customs, did you send before or after you received the item

Definitely thinking of nabbing a D600 now as I can get it delivered for 735 according to them

Pulse8

Pulse8 wrote: »

Just checking out the site, looks like a good option....it says under the total incl. shipping "An import handling charge has already been included in the above price. There is no further import tax/duty to pay.!

How reliable is this? And how did you go about sending yours to customs, did you send before or after you received the item

Definitely thinking of nabbing a D600 now as I can get it delivered for 735 according to them

pretty reliable and trustworthy afaik and they have amusing youtube reviews of products - have a look. customs will be in touch with you by post as they will stop your item. you send them email with the detail of receipts etc and then will release it. therefore will take a few extra days to get it.

dmg1982

Sorry to hear your camera was stolen - hope the insurance company pay up!

What type of photography do you plan to do? That will determine the best choice of camera. It'll also determine lens choices (and whether they're EF or EF-S)

I did a quick review of the 60D here after shooting with it for a few weeks, it's an excellent camera.

Pete67

'L' lenses (or any Canon EF lenses) can also be used on cropped sensor cameras like the 7D or 60D, so you are not limited to EF-S glass if you chose to go with one of these bodies. EF-S lenses however cannot be used on full frame cameras such as the 5D.

A 17-40 f4 L or 16-35 f2.8 L makes a great standard zoom on a 60D or 7D, and also makes a great ultra wide angle zoom on the 5D.

The 60D also has a sturdier body than the 600D, and for me anyway, one huge plus is that it has a top LCD screen showing exposure info etc continuously.

Send an email to Ian Kerr aka 'Kerso' on eBay and ask him for his Canon price list. Top guy and very hard to beat his prices. His address is kerso1123@msn.com

af_thefragile

7D has two Digic 4 processors while 60D has just one.
That gives 7D the amazing 8fps continuous shooting burst rate. Do you need 8fps burst rate though if you're not a sport/wildlife photographer is another question.
Also 7D has a full magnesium alloy body which is weather proof and can take good few knocks.
I think the 7D is better at shooting video too as it gives less rolling shutter artefacts and can shoot for fairly long without over heating...

60D is something in between a 7D and a 600D.
With 60D you get the swivel screen LCD which can be very handy. But its not as well build and has only one processor compared to 7Ds two processors.

As pete mentioned, you can stick any canon EF lenses on the 60D or 7D. So don't worry about lenses, just buy the EF lenses as you have the variety and flexibility of using them on even the full frame cameras.

Pulse8

Can anyone tell me if a Canon bought in Holland is covered for warranty by Canon Ireland?

I would assume they have an EU wide cover?

hbr

Pulse8 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if a Canon bought in Holland is covered for warranty by Canon Ireland?

I would assume they have an EU wide cover?

Disclaimer:
I have never needed to make a warranty claim with Canon.

My understanding is that Canon cameras made for the European market
come with a European warranty card (EWS). This gives you warranty cover
throughout Europe. Canon may require the warranty card and receipt as
proof of purchase. Cameras made for other markets are not covered, even
if they are bought from a European seller.

From canon.co.uk

*********************************************************
Standard European Warranty Sytem (EWS) Conditions

Canon and the EWS-members warrant the hardware of this product to be in good working order during the warranty period. In the event that the hardware is found to be defective within the warranty period, hardware repair service will be provided free of charge at the authorized Canon service centre(s) in the countries of membership of EWS.

EWS service free of charge may be obtained only against presentation of this warranty card together with the original invoice/cash ticket issued to the customer by the retailer, and if the warranty card states (a) the purchaser's name, (b) the retailer's name and address, (c) the model name and serial number, if any, of the purchased product and (d) the date of purchase of the product. Canon reserves the right to refuse warranty service if this information is not complete or has been removed or changed after the original purchase of the product by the consumer from the retailer. Canon further reserves the right to replace the defective product with another equivalent product which has quality same as or similar to that of the defective product, instead of repairing the defective product.
*********************************************************

milkjunkie90

I'm looking to purchase a 70-300 zoom lens or maybe longer. I have a Canon 500D I dont want to spend over 200euro. There seems to be a fair variety of lenses from different manufacturers in this range, sigma, canon, tamron etc. Any recomendations on what is the best in this price range?

dirtyghettokid

i bought a 70-300mm sigma lens (nikon fit) that was in that price range. i find it a good lens, but you have to use a tripod on it like all the time because it's only f/4-5.6 afaik and doesn't have image stabilizer. i do like it alot though.

these were taken with that lens

buttercups by jbredrebel, on Flickr


a great tit at our feeder by jbredrebel, on Flickr


dew drops by jbredrebel, on Flickr

milkjunkie90

Very nice pictures, seems like a nice lens. The thing that concerns me is that i do a lot of travel photography, usually without a tripod so i would need something that could be used easily without a tripod...

Kazujo

You can't go far wrong with the Sigma 70-300 APO, you won't get anything with a smaller aperature or IS in that price range.

I've had mine over 3 years now, pretty much all of my equestrian stuff has been taken with that lens.

These were taken on a dull damp day:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimkazujo/sets/72157627107736315/

dirtyghettokid

milkjunkie90 wrote: »

Very nice pictures, seems like a nice lens. The thing that concerns me is that i do a lot of travel photography, usually without a tripod so i would need something that could be used easily without a tripod...

you would definitely need to invest in something higher quality then. you would need something that has image stabilization and large apertures.
something like the sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Lens but that's around a grand plus. you pay for having larger apertures!

alternatively, if you get the cheaper 70-300mm sigma, then you could always bring a bean bag or a monopod or something small to stabilize the camera

i wouldn't have confidence that you could find a cheap lens that you won't need a tripod with.

Pulse8

Kazujo wrote: »

You can't go far wrong with the Sigma 70-300 APO, you won't get anything with a smaller aperature or IS in that price range.

I've had mine over 3 years now, pretty much all of my equestrian stuff has been taken with that lens.

These were taken on a dull damp day:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimkazujo/sets/72157627107736315/

When shooting at 300mm would it be necessary to have a tripod with one of those? Say for like at a concert or sports event

I see they do an OS version too for a few quid more but that does away with the macro feature from what Im reading